Used car sales stable
The UK’s used car market was down 0.6% in the first quarter of the year in the UK.
This is according to new figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It found that 2,020,144 transactions took place, with segment and powertrain trends seen at the end of last year continuing into 2019 and March the busiest month of activity.
Demand for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric cars continued to grow, up 30.7%, with 32,272 models changing hands. Of these alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs), hybrids experienced the largest growth – up 34.2%, with pure electric rising 4.8% to 3,067 units. However, AFVs took just 1.6% of all transactions in the first quarter, with conventional petrol and diesel making up 98.3% of the market, the fuel types up 1.1% and down 3.6% respectively.
Reflecting trends in the new car market, superminis remained by far the most popular used buy, with 676,395 of these smaller cars finding new owners – an uplift of some 6,000 units on quarter one 2018. The dual purpose segment, meanwhile, enjoyed the largest growth, demand rising 6.1%. Black was the favourite colour choice ahead of silver/aluminium and blue, with pink the least popular of all despite a 27.1% rise in transactions, the largest uplift of any colour.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, ‘Amid ongoing political and economic uncertainty, a stable used car market is good news for the automotive sector as it underpins crucial new car sales activity. Consumers are benefiting too, as more of the latest, safest and cleanest vehicles filter through to second owners. If we’re to accelerate this shift, and meet shared ambitions on air quality and climate change, a long-term government commitment to supporting take up of the latest technologies in the new car market will be essential.’
